Air conditioned bed compartment



VF. V. EAKIN AIR CONDITIONED BED COMPARTMENT s sheets-sheet 2 IN VENTO Filed` March 22, 1955*?4 I J'an. 23, 1940. P v, EAK|N AIR coNDITIoNED BED .COMPARTMENT Filed March 22, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE Application March 22,

1 Claim.

' assembled.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a canopy, carried by a. bed, which in combination with the bed mattress, produces an insulated compartment, suitable for air conditioning. i

Another object of the present invention isthe provision of portable, and easily dismantled, compartments, wherein the conditioned air is eiectually controlled to maintain the desired temperature at a reasonable cost.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a novelly constructed canopy carried by the bed and so related thereto as to allow for independent movement of the springs and `mattress thereof.

Another object of this invention is the pro-f vision of an air conditioned bed compartment that is of neat and sturdy construction, that has novel means for controlling the conditioned air, and one that has suitable connections of the parts to form a compartment that will not leak too much of the conditioned air.

With these as well as other objects, which will appear duringthe course of the specication, in view, reference willnow be had to the drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of van air conditioned bed compartment, partly in section, embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view, taken on line lI-II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the canopy, showing the connection of the two ends of the vertical wall member.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the canopy frame.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, perspective view of one of the upper corner portions of the canopy frame.

.Fig. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of an upper corner of the canopy. with parts broken away.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the corner standards positioned in the supporting bracket.

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a portion of the standard in its operative position on the bed structure.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of the tubular bars with the end connector.

Fig. 10 is a reduced stretch-out of the vertical wall member.

1937, Serial N0. 132.367

Fig. 11 is a reduced plan view ofthe top member.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged, sectional view, taken on line XII- XH of Fig. 3. l

Fig. 13 is an elevational viewiof a modified 5 form of the air distributor.

Fig. 14 is a section, taken on line 2CV-XIV of Fig. 13. n

Fig. 15 is a modified form of air conditioner and distributor, and,

Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view, taken on line XVI-XVI of Fig. 15.

Throughout the several views, like reference characters designate similar parts, and the numeral 20 is a bedstead of the usual type,having 15 head piece 22, foot piece 24 and side rails 26. Positioned between side rails 26 on ledges 28, are slats 30. Resting on slats 30 within the confines of the head and foot pieces and side rails, is a set of springs 32, having a frame 34l and coil 2,0 springs 36 carried thereby. These coil springs carry the usual mattress 38. The legs 40 of the bedstead serve to maintain the side rails and parts carried thereby a predetermined distance above the floor. Y

It is essential that the end slats be held in a fixed position relative to the side'rails, and it is for this purpose that the angle plate 42, secured to the side rail by means of screws 44 and to the Slat by means of screw 46, is provided. Adjacent 30 each end of the end slats is pivotally mounted by means of bolt 48, a bracket 50, which is adapted to be oscillated in'a horizontal plane. This bracket 50y is provided with a vertical openlng 52 at its free end, through which the vertical standard 54 is adapted to be fitted. This standard is secured against downward movement by means of an adjustable set collar 56, provided with a set screw 58.. By means of this structure, it is apparent that by properly positioning end slat 30, the vertical standard 54 may be located at the adjacent corner of the mattress and near the intersection of the end'piece and side rail.

Since each of the end slats is provided adjacent 45 its opposite ends with like standards and standard mountings, a vertical standard is provided at each corner of the mattress. These standards, together with associated parts, as hereinafter described, constitute a canopy. which, in con- 5o l junction with the mattress, produce a compartment 66 which serves as an enclosure for the occupantsof the bed.

Referring particularlyto Figs. 4, 5 and 6, it will be observed that tubular side bars 62 and 64 55 are mounted in spaced-apart, parallel, relation, one above theother; also, a tubular end bar 66 is provided as a, transverse connection between the standards at the head and foot of the bed respectively. Supported by each of the standards 54 is an angled bracket 68, which\extends inwardly to rest on the end bar 66 with one leg thereof projecting upwardly to receive an offset, tubular side bar 10 and an end bar 12, which is spaced apart from end bar 66 and positioned thereabove. The side bars 10 are joined together intermediate their ends by means of a cross rod 14. In certain instances, a plurality of these cross rods 14 might be used.

With reference now to Fig. 9, which represents an end portion of either of the tubular bars 62, 64, 66, 10 and 12, together with the connector 15, such connector is provided with a cylindrical body 16, that is tted into the end of the tubular member and secured by punching a portion of the tube 18 into the recess 80 formed in 16. That portion of the connector 15 which extends beyond the tubular bar is flattened as at 82 and provided with an opening 84, through which'the reduced end 86 of plug 88, carried in the upper end of standard 54, projects.

Plug 88 is threaded at 89 and provided with a. blind nut 9| which holds the assembled parts together and also gives a finished, smooth surface to support the top member, as hereinafter set forth. The relation of the framework parts just described is clearly detailed in Figs. 5 and 6. The frame, when so constructed and mounted on the bedstead, serves as a support for insulating flexible side and top members to produce a compartment above the mattress, which may be air conditioned.

Vertical wall member 90, shown in stretchedout form in Fig. 10, is provided at its top edge with a series of spaced-apart loops 92, which are adapted to be threaded on tubular side and end bars 62 and 66, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The bottom edge of wall is provided with slits 94, one of which is at each of three corners of the compartment. Those portions of the vertical wall 90 intermediate slits 94 and between slits 94 and the ends of wall 80 are adapted to be folded underneath the mattress so as to rest between mattress 38 and springs 36 to provide a. seal between said members. Small coil springs |00, attached at one end to the lower edge of vertical wall member 90 and at their other ends to one of the inner springs 36, serve to maintain the partsin proper operative relation.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noted that vertical wall 90 is sufficiently long to provide a downwardly extending loop |02, thus making it possible for the mattress and springs to lower with respect to bars 62 and 66 without putting undue tension on the wall 90. This feature is very important in view of the fact that the vertical wall ,member 90 is preferably made of quilted, spaced-apart sheets of fabric, with an insulating material therebetween, which would be greatly damaged by any undue tension or pull thereon.

The ends |04 and |06 of vertical wall member 99 are joined together as shown in Figs. 3 and 12. Glove fastener units |08, which are adapted to be snapped together, serve to join'the two ends with the vertical wall member 'in the position shown in Fig. 12. The end portion |04 is also provided with a vertically disposed rod H0, to which is attached hook members ||2 that engage the standard 54. These hook members serve to hold the end of the wall member 90 in position during the placing of the same on the standards.

One of the side walls 98 is provided with a door ||4, formed by cutting the side wall verticallyat ||6 and horizontally at ||8, and providing the edges created by said cuts with fasteners |20 which are commonly known as slide fasteners,` thus making it possible to disengage adjacent edges and slide the door member on its supporting loops 92 along bar 62 to permit entrance to and exit from the compartment.

Side walls 98 are provided with attached fiounces |22, which may be positioned to cover side rails '26.

Referring now to the top member |24, which is substantiallyL rectangular in form with notched corners |26, and made of a pliable material with insulating qualities. The edges of each of the notched corners are provided with slide fasteners means |28, which serve to secure said edges together. Also, each side portion of the top member is provided with a longitudinally extending 'rod |30, which is securely attached at the inside thereof, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. This rod is secured in the position shown by means of latches |32, carried by angle brackets 68 to produce an offset |34 in the longitudinal upper edges of the top member. This forming of the top member produces a pleasing effect to the canopy. It will be noted that the edge portions of the top member |24 overlap the vertical side and end walls to form a suitable seal between the parts. This top member is cut away at |36 at the head of the bed to permit free flow of the air through the screened Ventilating opening |38, formed in the vertical end wall. This opening is provided with a closure |40, having a fastener |42, by means of which it may be secured in the closed position to preclude the movement of air through |38. For purpose of lighting the compartment, an incandescent lamp |44, supported by cables |46 to end bar 66, is positioned below said screened ventilator.

Each end of the bed is provided with an air duct |48, which extends vertically through an opening |50, formed through the vertical wall member 90 and terminates in a distributing head |52. This head extends horizontally between standards 54, to which it is secured, by means of hook members |54. These hook members rest on adjustable collars |56, mounted on the standards. Air passing from duct |48 to the distributing head is deflected to` a horizontal flow by means of the curved wall member |58 mounted in said distributor head. Graduated openings |60, formed through the inside face of head |52, serve to equally distribute the air passing from -said distributor head across the full width of said bed. Due to the fact that the pressure of the air adjacent duct |48 is greater than at the end of the distributor head remote therefrom, openings |60 are made smaller adjacent the duct and gradually increase in size as their distance is increased from said duct.

Preferably, the circulation of air through the cooling unit |62 to and from said compartment is in the direction indicated by the arrows. The cooling unit |62 may be of any of the well known types that will cause a circulation of the compartment air to condition the same, both as to temperature and humidity. The diagrammatic showing of the cooler system |62 is of the compressor type, wherein |64 indicates a compressor; |66 cooling means, over which the air to be through strainers |96 and conditioned is passed, and |68 is a suitable oondenser. In order to make this cooling unit portable, means for Vtaking careiof the condensate a cabinet |10, wherein the condensate collects as at |12, thence passes through tube |14 to an evaporatingpan |16. The liquid thus introduced into pan |16 is rapidly evaporated thereby eliminating the necessity may be located within the compartment or the air ducts to regulate the temperature of said compartment.

sion coils ,200. While this' air conditioning unit is lnot shown complete, yet it is sumcient to teach that a unit of this type properly constructed could be used within said compartment for the purpose intended. l

Many minor changes might be made in the construction and relation of the several parts,

and it is desired to be limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In an air conditioned bed assembly having a mattress, springs rial covering the frame to form, with the wall and mattress, a box-like enclosure, said wall having a plurality of spaced apart loops along the upper edge thereof, slidably engaging the frame, one stretch of said wall along one side 

